THE TOWN OF KODIAK, ALASKA, AFTER THIE ERUPTION OF KATMAI
The town is 100 miles from the volcano. Note the heavy deposits of white ashes covering
hillsides and town. Dust fell as far away as Juneau, Ketchikan, and the Yukon Valley,
distant 750, 900, and 600 miles, respectively, from the volcano.
owes its climate, as does Ireland, to the
tropical ocean current which bathes its
shores. It is indeed a hundred and fifty
miles farther north than Ireland, but this
is more than counterbalanced by the pro
tection from the Arctic Ocean afforded
by the mainland.
Many people will no doubt be aston
ished to learn that the winter of Boston
is far more severe than that of Kodiak,
which more nearly resembles that of
Washington, D. C. Indeed, an old lady,
who had lived all her life in Kansas,
found on returning there after two or
three winters in Kodiak that the climate
was almost unbearable and has been anx-
ious ever since to return to the mild
climate of Kodiak.
The eastern half of the island is occu
pied by a dense forest of spruce, whose
trees reach a great size. Beyond the for
est it is covered by a luxuriant grass land,
which, in the abundance and fine quality
of its hay and forage, surpasses any
grazing lands in the United States proper
and finds a parallel only in the "guinea
grass" pastures of the tropics.
At present this country is lying almost
entirely neglected, but as Alaska passes
from the stage of exploitation to that of
development, these lands are destined to
be much sought after for stock-raising.